Unreliable Sources
by aestheticisms
Summary: One-Shot. When I met Steven Stone, in someway, I was affected. May/Steven;Lyra/Ethan.


_Unreliable Sources_;

May-Steven/Lyra-Ethan

_**When I met Steven Stone, somehow, in some way, I was affected.**_

**a/n: excuse my lack of canonocity. feel free to hate. just kidding. please, don't hate it. xD i do love steven/may, but i think this is more of a lyra/steven ficlet. ...that's my new favorite pairing!**

**expect a soulsilver one-shot. i have been converted.  
**

* * *

Steven Stone was a man of few words. That is, at first glance. Under his steely exterior, pardon the pun, there was an entire different being.

I didn't know a lot about him. I was walking out of the Pokémon Fanclub in Vermillion City. He was the one who approached me. When my blue eyes made contact with his gray, something in my heart called out to him.

To this day, I still don't know what happened that day. He seemed so world-weary, lost, but spoke with the confidence of a Champion.

Well, he said he was the Champion of Hoenn. I didn't dare correct him. Last time I heard, a man by the name of Wallace was the Champion of that region. What he told me that day was what confused me even more; I didn't really care for the Latias that was roaming around Kanto at the moment. Ethan was already chasing her counterpart, Latios, down.

What really intrigued me was the fact he asked me if we've met before.

_ "Um, excuse me?" I whipped around at the voice who had signaled me out. My Ampharos stood, at the ready, the orb on her ball crackling with electricity. The man who had spoken was fairly young. I titled my head, and looked him over. He looked a lot older than me, maybe in his early-twenties. He had silvery hair, more gray than silver and gray-blue eyes. They were adorned with a curious, inquisitive expression. There was a slight smile on his face, but it barely passed for the gesture. It was more, lips turned up. That's was all. No emotion in that facial expression._

_He was wearing a suit, something uncommon in the region of Johto and Kanto. I crossed my arms over my chest and arched an eyebrow. He was most likely a foreigner._

"_Hello. My name is Steven Stone. I'm from the region of Hoenn, and I came here to Kanto to research to appearance of this pokémon here." Mr. Stone showed me a picture of a pokémon I was unfamiliar with. _

"_It's a Latias. Her counterpart is Latios." Oh, of course, the two eon pokémon. I understood now. I nodded at the man and he continued. _

"_You see, Latias is connected to the Soul Dew…" He continued on about the Soul Dew, a rare orb not found in any region. As he talked, there was a flicker in his eyes, like a flame. I didn't understand why that fire was so…small, so weak. He seemed like the man whose eyes shined like the sun. Not like a dim lamp._

"…_I'm sorry for changing the subject, but have we met before?"_

_ His question was what brought me back out of my trance. He looked at me as if he knew me, with such familiarity._

_I didn't know him, but he thought he knew me._

"…_I'm sorry, but this is the first time I've seen you. My name is Lyra." I sadly broke the news to him, and the fire that had been burning brighter dimmed again. He was crestfallen, and his entire body reflected on his emotion. His posture became less rigid. He scratched the back of his head and gave me a small smile._

"_Oh, I'm sorry. It's just that…you have a look in your eyes that remind me of someone. Someone I lost a long time ago. It's a gaze that usually appears on the trainers that have given me some of the best battles." _

_ I nodded, unsure of what to say. What were you supposed to say to that? Nothing, I kept quiet._

"_Well, I think trainers are simply drawn to the eon pokémon. I wish you luck, if you do try to find her." Steven sighed and placed his paper back in his pocket. "Sorry for bothering you." He turned away and I felt myself reach for his hand. I grabbed his wrist._

"_I'm sorry if this is personal, Mr. Stone, but…who was it that you lost?"_

_ Steven gave me a weak smile, and carefully unlatched my fingers from his wrist, patting my hand in the process. "Her name's May." _

_ With that, he finally turned away and disappeared into the crowd that occupied Vermillion City's central square._

_I stood in awe, and my Ampharos merely rolled her eyes. _

"_Oh yeah, let's go return this Pokédoll to the Copycat girl. I hope she doesn't copy me again…it scares the living crap out of me…" I laugh, only half-heartedly. Ampharos was not lost on the action and tugged my hand. I nodded and we left._

But I think I understood now. I had searched May up on the nearest PC and found my results to be rather odd. May Maple was a celebrated trainer from the Hoenn region, both a coordinator and a trainer. She also was the one to dethrone Steven from his champion status. That same year, Steven retired from the Pokémon League and went off, on his own as a freelance trainer. As I scrolled down on the girl's information page, I found some striking resemblances to me.

She was a trainer and a coordinator. I was a trainer and Pokéathlete. She had brown hair and blue eyes. I also had the same attributes. But what shocked me even more was our choice in Pokémon. Our beginners were both of the fire type family, hers a Torchic and mine a Cyndaquil. I understood why Steven asked if we've met before, but…

Why he asked the question still bothered me. I didn't understand what May Maple was to Steven Stone. Maybe friends, they did meet a lot while she was journeying, according to the Internet. But, he said he lost her.

Obviously, it wasn't to death. She was currently in Sinnoh, participating in contests and gym battles there.

The question bothered me for a long time. For a while, I forgot about my self-appointed mission, and continued my training. I needed to fill the pages in the National Pokédex and challenge the Battle Frontier. That would pit me against stronger trainers, and stronger pokémon.

A year passed me by, at fifteen, I finally reached my goals. I got a call from Ethan, my mother, and Professor Oak, all congratulating me on my efforts.

Then, I saw him again.

This time, I was prepared. My Typhlosion accompanied me, as we were strolling down Saffron City.

When I saw Steven Stone, there was something new about him. The fire that had been about to die out, during our first meeting, was alive. Burning, in his gray eyes like ire to the flame.

I found this spectacular. But I was still confused; who had been able to bring his fighting spirit back, when I couldn't?

I approached him this time, and tapped his shoulder. Steven Stone turned towards me and smiled.

"Hey, Lyra. How's your Pokédex coming along?" When he spoke, he spoke with the voice of a legendary trainer. Much how I imagined Red would speak, with the ringing authority and power that few had.

"I'm done." I offered my Pokédex to him and he took it from my hands. He checked it over and grinned.

"This is fantastic, Lyra! Very few are able to complete the National Pokédex in such a short time…wow, this deserves some kind of reward. Hold on." He fished through his backpack, and brought out three pokéballs. "Take your pick. These are the starter pokémon from Hoenn. Only those from Johto or Kanto can access these when they've finished their National Dex."

I already knew which one I wanted. I ignored the Mudkip, a water type, and the Treecko, a grass time. I pointed towards the fire type.

"I want the Torchic."

Steven laughed and handed me my choice. I tilted my head at his sudden laughter and shrugged, calling out the newest addition to my team. The chick-like pokémon stared at me with bright eyes and chirped. I hugged the small bird and felt warm.

"You remind me so much of May." Steven said, and I stared up at him.

"Why's that?"

Steven stuffed his hands in his pocket and looked up to the sky. Not a cloud was in sight, letting the Kanto sun shine. "May was a great girl, a fantastic trainer as well. There was something about her that simply pulled you in."

It clicked. I put my new Torchic on my white hat, and cautiously put my hand on his shoulder.

"You loved her, didn't you?"

Steven's smile softened and he nodded. I wrapped him in a sisterly hug, and patted his back. When I let go, he stared at me with the soft fire I came to know him with.

"Mr. Stone, I think you should go get her back." I gave him a slight smirk, and Torchic chirped in agreement. Steven merely sighed and rolled his gray eyes at me.

"Lyra, Lyra, Lyra." He chuckled to himself, at some private joke. "Thanks, a lot. You've really helped with my research." He waved and began walking away, leaving me alone in the central square of Saffron.

He tended to do that.

"You better be with her next time I see you!" I shout, waving goodbye. "Goodbye Mr. Stone and good luck!"

I didn't hear from Steven Stone for months. I was back in Newbark Town, welcomed by a surprising hug from my best friend Ethan, and a celebration dinner from my mother. Professor Elm and his family were invited as well, and as we all sat around the table, I told them the story about the stranger from Hoenn I had met during my time in Kanto.

That's when then someone knocked our door. Ethan and I jumped out of our seats and raced to the door, him beating me by an inch. He opened the door and flinched. I peered over his shoulder and gave the visitor the largest smile in history. Next to my dear friend, Steven Stone, was the famous May Maple.

"Hey, Lyra. Ethan." He greeted, as a smile unwillingly made its way to his lips. May smiled looking at me with a warm gaze.

"Hello, we're sorry to drop by uninvited." May said softly, but her authority rang through her gentle voice. I smiled at this. There were very few people who could master that. I got to meet some of them.

My mother was at my side now, and ushered Ethan and me away from the door, opening it for our guests. Steven and May entered into our home, hand in hand, and sat down in the living room. Professor Elm rose to greet the ex-Champion of Hoenn, and the famous trainer/coordinator. His wife was at the kitchen, preparing tea for everybody.

May sat down on the loveseat, with Steven at her side. She gave Ethan and me a look that clearly said 'come here'. She beckoned us near her and we sat down on the table that was across from them.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Maple." Ethan shook May's hand and then I did the same.

"First of all, I want to thank you both for helping Steven with his research." She turned towards Ethan next, her sapphire gaze sparking under the fluorescent lights. "Ethan, thank you for giving me the strength to pursue my dreams." She gave us both a kind smile. Steven went on from there.

"I want to thank you, Lyra, for giving me the courage that got me here where I am today."

"Wait," I turned towards Ethan. "You met May Maple, and didn't tell me?"

Ethan raised his hands up in defense and gave me a smirk. "Of course. You didn't tell me about meeting Steven Stone. We're even."

"Ugh, what am I going to do with you?" I smacked Ethan playfully on the head and he simply rolled his eyes.

Steven and May exchanged a knowing smile and returned their attention to us. "You both have great potential to become some of the best trainers in the world. There's very few that have that honor, as you should know." Steven looked at me in particular, and I remember my battle against Red, the Champion from Kanto. Ethan thought back to his encounter with Green, a girl that had scammed him out of his money, and offered to give it back if he beat her in a pokémon battle.

Elm's wife entered the scene with cups of tea for the foreigners. May accepted their cups and handed one for Steven.

"Um, if you don't mind me asking…" I started, awkwardly. Ethan placed a reassuring hand on mine. "…are you guys um, like together?"

May laughed and Steven only rolled his eyes. "We're getting married in the spring."

I blushed, in embarrassment and Ethan joined in the laughter, ruffling my cap-less hair.

Later that night, May and Steven left back to Hoenn. I went over to Ethan's house, for a sleepover. Even if we were both nearing our sixteenth birthdays, sleepovers were still part of our lives. As he set up the tent in his backyard, I sat down on the old swing set that belonged to his younger years.

When he was done, we entered the tent and caught up on our lives. It had been a long time since we simply talked. I found out that he had been traveling around Kanto, and that he had met May in Saffron City. She told him about Sinnoh and the various kinds of pokémon that lived there. He wanted to travel there one day. Ethan asked me if I would go with him, obviously I said yes. It would give me another reason to be with him, and to try out the famous Pokémon Contests that I had read about.

Before we went to sleep, he kissed me.

Winter left Johto, and the first flowers of spring bloomed. The cherry blossoms were falling on the date of Steven and May's wedding.

Many years have passed me by since the day I first met Steven Stone. Back then, I was a fourteen year old who had no idea what to do. I had done a lot for a young girl, but now, at eighteen, I'm running down the streets of Mossdeep City, with Ethan at my side. Ethan's on his way to challenge the Hoenn League, with seven badges under his belt. I was ready to participate in the Grand Festival, taking place in Lilycove City.

But today, we're forgetting about our dreams and goals. Today, we're going to go visit the Stone family and reminisce about the times we simply didn't care.

Maybe I'll tell Steven about the Latias. I never did find it.


End file.
